President Obama Signs 21st Century Cures Bill into Law, Offering New Hope

In November, LuMind Research Down Syndrome Foundation joined with the National Health Council as a co-signatory on a post-election letter to Congress, urging lawmakers to move a legislation forward that hopes to speed the development of treatments and cures. Of the 217 organizations undersigning the letter of support, representing a widely diverse community of patients and family caregivers, LuMind RDS represented the only Down syndrome organization co-signatory.

The 21st Century Cures Act, which provides for a substantial boost in biomedical research funding, was signed into law by President Obama late Tuesday afternoon. The bill contains several provisions that will aid in the exploration, development, and delivery of experimental drugs and therapies to patients – this includes $4.8 billion in new funding over a period of 10 years for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to fuel the Precision Medicine Initiative, BRAIN Initiative, and the Cancer Moonshot.Notably, $1.6 billion has been earmarked for brain diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease.

Here at LuMind RDS, we are committed to pushing the needle to improve cognition research and delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease within the Down syndrome community. We are excited about the new hope this bill offers to millions of Americans, but we know that we still have a long road ahead. Your gifts are crucial to furthering these breakthroughs and ensuring we can continue the momentum.